Historical setting: 602 C.E. A cottage in the Vosges I’d been telling my ten-year-old a story about those pesky psalms his brothers memorize so easily, and then I happened to mention that David, the little harp player, became a great king. So, all I was doing was adding another rung of out-of-reach accomplishment forContinue reading “#45.5, Tues., June 13, 2023”
Category Archives: Serial Fiction
#45.4, Thurs., June 8, 2023
Historical setting: 602 C.E. A cottage in the Vosges Simon is sitting with me here as I search for the secret of his smile that seems so rare. I asked him if he likes to sing the dancing songs at the little church. “Yes, I do like that, Papa. But without you theContinue reading “#45.4, Thurs., June 8, 2023”
#45.3, Weds., June 7, 2023
Historical setting: 602 C.E. A cottage in the Vosges “Psalm 139 goes on after ‘I rise up…’ then comes ‘you discern my thoughts from far away.’” So now here I am correcting this child when I meant to ease his worry over all the lessons. I know it’s hard for him. “Simon, IContinue reading “#45.3, Weds., June 7, 2023”
#45.2, Tues., June 6, 2023
Historical setting: 602 C.E. A cottage in the Vosges The full burden of my absence and the travels of his older brothers puts huge responsibility onto our ten-year-old, Simon. He is so careful with details and so mindful of the habits of farm chores that we really depend on him for the daily choresContinue reading “#45.2, Tues., June 6, 2023”
#45.1, Thurs., June 1, 2023
Historical setting: 602 C.E. A cottage in the Vosges Healing comes on summer winds. For me, my strength and wit are coming to me in pieces, sometimes with old familiar forms of comfort, sometimes in glimpses of new starts. Thank you, God. Healing of spirit seems to be hovering around my oldest sonsContinue reading “#45.1, Thurs., June 1, 2023”
#44.14, Weds., May 31, 2023
Historical setting: 602 C.E. The cottage in the Vosges On this beautiful day I’m home with my family, healing slowly in God’s time. Greg and Gabe are still aching of childhood, not able to accept themselves as powerless in the face of senseless brutality. So how will healing turn them? Will they learn fromContinue reading “#44.14, Weds., May 31, 2023”
#44.13, Tues., May 30, 2023
Historical setting: 602 C.E. The cottage in the Vosges These boys stand here at the end of the bed twisting fingers, looking away from me, apologizing, sorrowfully confessing something. But what? “You told Mater Doe you were sorry and she thought you were sorry you tried to kill me. But it was youContinue reading “#44.13, Tues., May 30, 2023”
#44.12, Thurs., May 25, 2023
Historical setting: 602 C.E. The cottage in the Vosges This is the stage of my healing my sons seemed to fear most, when their papa is laying around the house, howling woefully and taking all their mother’s attention. May my howls be silenced by courage, since death is not my option. Thankfully my placeContinue reading “#44.12, Thurs., May 25, 2023”
#44.11, Weds., May 24, 2023
Historical setting: 602 C.E. The secular church in the Vosges Hannah is a no-nonsense, eight-year-old. She would be just like Ana was at eight, but that Ana’s own mother had given her away in fear of her special gifts; and for Hannah, we, her family, have an appreciation of these gifts in a girlContinue reading “#44.11, Weds., May 24, 2023”
#44.10 Tues., May 23, 2023
Historical setting: 602 C.E. The secular church in the Vosges Mater Doe has been keeping watch, offering up, through dark hours, prayers and comfort, a sip of water, a warmer blanket all for a healing that might happen regardless of her tireless efforts. I have new strength already. And I’m driven to graspContinue reading “#44.10 Tues., May 23, 2023”
Lazarus Ink 